MR BROGDEN IN THE SOUTH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 223, 9 May 1872, Page 5

MR BROGDEN IN THE SOUTH.

This gentleman, accompanied by Mr HenJlerson, his engineer, paid Inveroargill a visit last week, and went over the proposed Maiaura line, returning to Dunedin by Kingston and Queenston. While in Southland he was interviewed by a number of the leading citizens of lnvercargill, to whom he explained his relations with the Government. He told them (so we learn from the Southland Times) that the inducement which led him to come to New Zealand, was to get the providing of L 4,000,000 worth of railways under contract No. 1 ; and lie was not a little surprised when he found that the Government declined to recommend it to Parliament. No. 3 contract, for works to the extent of one million, had been adopted ; and he was now ready to commence work at any>moment, and had been for some time. The delay, therefore, which had been complained of was not on his part. The ten per cent, system, which was attracting a considerable amount of attention, was an arrangement expressly devised to save time, and by it he was bound to proceed with the construction of any lines 1 which the Government might desire, receiving aa profit ten per cent over the amount actually expended on the work as shown by his vouchers. To guard against undue expense on constructions carried out under this arrangement, there was a stipulation by which he was also bound to tender for the lines, and in the event of his tender being accepted to take any work done under the ten per cent system as part of the work done under his tender. He wished to bear very express testimony to the care displayed by Mr Yogel to protect the interests of the Colony in all the details of his negotiations ; both in England and in New Zealand.

Ecclesiastical. —We extract the following tram the New Zealand Church News : " The Bishop of Duncdiu, who is now in England, has made arrangements with four clergymen, who will probably accompany bis ioidship on his return to his diocese in July next, and will, it is thought, b© appointed to the cures of Uaversham, Hampden, Balclutha, and Mount Ida,"—